All England Club go on charm offensive by inviting AFC Wimbledon to Royal Box

The All England Club have included AFC Wimbledon on their guest list for the Royal Box for the first time as part of a charm offensive with the local community.

Erik Samuelson, chief executive of the League Two club, is said to have received a particularly warm welcome from AEC top brass, who are not known to have invited a local football official since Wimbledon were relegated from the Premier League in 2000.

The tennis authorities need to improve relationships with their neighbours, especially with disruption from building work at the club expected for the next 15 years.

Local boys: The All England Club have included AFC Wimbledon on the guest list for the Royal Box

And in recent meetings with residents over the proposed construction blueprint, one of the big complaints has been the lack of tennis tickets available to locals.

AEC look to have taken notice in the knowledge that AFC Wimbledon, who were founded in 2002, are a social focus for the local community.

The shambolic appointment of the next LTA chief executive to replace Roger Draper is expected to be further delayed, with some interviews still to be completed.

No doubt the announcement will come in the middle of golf’s Open Championship or during an Ashes Test to avoid too much media scrutiny.

Former GB Davis Cup captain David Lloyd, who described the LTA high command as ‘barking mad’ at the start of Wimbledon, was asked to apply for the job but failed to make the short list.

Sport England chief executive Jennie Price says she is not involved in the selection process when even those inside her own organisation believed she was the front-runner for tennis’s poisoned chalice.

Wojtek Fibak, the most successful Polish tennis player at Wimbledon until Jerzy Janowicz’s journey to a semi-final against Andy Murray, has more pressing personal matters on his mind than today’s clash.

Multi-millionaire art collector Fibak, who reached the last eight in 1980, is involved in an acrimonious divorce from his second wife, a lawyer 25 years his junior, after being photographed in a compromising situation with a hotel chambermaid following a family party.

Andy Murray’s mother Judy, 53, is doing nothing to dampen fevered speculation within the BBC about her blossoming friendship with 5 Live sports reporter George Riley, 18 years her junior.

Judy mysteriously tweeted ‘Happy Birthday Jude X’, with the message meant for Riley, who was 35 yesterday. And the pair were spotted in an affectionate embrace after dinner with friends at Wimbledon’s San Lorenzo restaurant last week.

Virgin academy spat

Virgin Active, who are promoting their tennis activity with a huge advertising campaign featuring owner Sir Richard Branson and ambassador Laura Robson, are being blamed for shutting the doors of their flagship Chiswick Riverside club to an academy of young British players coached by Otto Buchholdt.

Slammed: Virgin, with Richard Branson and ambassador Laura Robson, have been criticised for shutting he doors of their flagship club to a British academy of young tennis players

Buchholdt’s group, who have lost their prime court time at Chiswick, have found temporary training facilities at the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton, with one parent accusing Branson of double standards.

However tennis insiders say Chiswick took their decision because Buchholdt’s players were not good enough, while an LTA spokesman said Buchholdt left of his own accord.

AEC top brass are in talks with the British Olympic Association and International Olympic Committee over a permanent recognition of Andy Murray’s Olympic gold medal. The five-ring Olympic symbol is guarded so zealously that lots of hoops have to be gone through before Wimbledon can even put up a plaque to commemorate Murray’s triumph.

Olympian: But recognition of Andy Murray's gold medal last summer is proving problematic

Meanwhile, Murray’s regular post-match Wimbledon meal of 30 sushi rolls of tuna and avocado with spicy mayonnaise on the side hasn’t gone down well in Japan because of its high magnesium content. But Murray’s nutritionist is said to ensure balance is provided by the rest of his diet.